Summer Luvin'
by KShyne99
Summary: It's the summer before senior year, and Bombay has a suprise for all the Ducks. He's just bought a huge house in a small beach town in New Jersey, and all the Ducks are invited to visit for a month (btw, all you Jesse fans . . . he's back and better than
1. Just To Clear Things Up

Prologue:  
  
Ok just to clear up a few things:  
  
I love Jesse. And this is my story and I want him in it. So Jesse is back! We'll pretend that he moved away for a year or two, but is back by junior year. I'm sorry if this makes people mad, but I want Jesse in the story. He was too important a part of the ducks to leave him out.  
  
This story takes place the summer before senior year. And how, you may ask, does Bombay have the money to fly them all out to NJ and back, not to mention their cost of living for the month? Well, he did make a lot of money during the goodwill games. AND he was a big-time lawyer, so obviously he still has savings from that. Not to mention the head of the goodwill games or whatever he was doing in D3. Again, if this is too unbelievable for some people, I apologize. But the Ducks are too poor (with the exception of Banksie) to fly out to New Jersey. So I had to make Bombay pay for it. Poor Bombay, it's gonna be an expensive proposition. We all know that Goldberg can eat!!!  
  
Now, finally, and most importantly: On my last fic, someone accused me of plagiarizing. This was flagrantly not true. And I hope you're happy, you did cause me to take my last fic down. Obviously, all fics about Adam Banks surrounding the movies are going to be similar. What did you want me to do? Make him have a perfectly happy relationship with his father? Wow that would make for GREAT reading. So basically, I don't plagiarize. Never have, never will.  
  
I don't object to constructive criticism. I really respect most of you as authors (except for people who wrongfully accuse.). Please review this! I know I could use the help. But don't worry, I wont like withhold chapters if you don't review or anything like that. I just like to know what you guys think. Like I said, some of you are absolutely incredible writers. So whatever you want to tell me will be very well appreciated! Thanks guys!!!  
  
And now, on with the story.  
  
I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!!!  
  
3 Tino (yes my name is Tino, and yes I'm a girl) 


	2. Too Good To Be True

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ducks. Disney and Steven Brill are responsible for them!!!  
  
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Chapter 1: Too Good To Be True  
  
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"Bye, Charlie. I'll see you next week. Tell the others, and if they have any questions, tell them to give me a call."  
  
"You bet! Bye Coach! And thanks again." Charlie said excitedly as he dropped the phone back on its receiver. He couldn't believe this. He could NOT believe this.  
  
He threw a shirt on, sprinted out the door, through his front yard, and let himself into the house across the street.  
  
"Connie? I got some big news!!!" He called out as he shut the door behind him.  
  
"Hey Charlie, what's up?" Connie questioned as she walked out of her bedroom. Her and Charlie had been friends since they were in diapers, and she knew that when he said he had big news, he definitely was about to share something earth shattering. The last big news he had was that Jesse was moving back to Minnesota and was going to be making full use of his scholarship to Eden Hall.  
  
"You are never going to believe this! I could barely even believe it. I just talked to Bombay and guess what!"  
  
Connie always hated guessing. "What, Charlie, I have no idea."  
  
"Okay, well you suck at guessing, but anyway, Bombay just bought this monster house in some little ocean-side town in New Jersey. It's called Avon or something like that. But anyway, he invited all the Ducks down for a month. But here's the best part. He's going to pay for everything! For all of us! He's going to fly us there and back, he'll pay for all the food we eat and everything."  
  
Connie couldn't believe it. "Are you kidding me? All the Ducks? Even the non-Minnesota ones? No WAY! You better not be joking, Charlie Conway, or I'll kick your butt."  
  
But judging by how excited he was, and how fast he was talking, she had a feeling that this wasn't a joke. And she knew that he knew that she really COULD kick his butt.  
  
"No, Cons, I am totally and completely serious. All of us. Even Julie and Portman and all them. Can you believe this? How awesome is Bombay?" Charlie shook his head. He was still in shock. He had always loved Bombay, but this was amazing, even for him.  
  
The Ducks from Minnesota were poor. There was really no point in denying that. They didn't live in a great neighborhood, and none of them had big houses. And because none of them had a lot of money, they didn't often leave Minnesota. In fact, Charlie had never, ever left his home state, except when they went to the Goodwill Games. So needless to say, the prospect of flying all the way to New Jersey was exhilarating for him.  
  
"This is incredible. Have you told the others?" Connie asked.  
  
"Nope, you're the first. Let's go make like the gospels and spread the good news." Charlie said, laughing at his own joke.  
  
Connie rolled her eyes. She decided to write that terrible joke off to the fact that he was extremely excited. "I'll let that one slide, Spazway," she said as they walked out the door.  
  
Again, Connie was reminded of the perks of having most of her friends in close proximity. Although both her and Charlie could drive, their families didn't have enough money for extra cars. Connie's parents and Charlie's mom drove their cars to work, so anywhere they wanted to go, they had to be able to get there by foot or rollerblades.  
  
As they walked down her driveway, Connie smiled. A month with her closest friends in the world . . . and a beach . . . and a huge house . . . what more could a girl ask for? 


	3. Guy and Jesse and Averman, Oh My!

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Chapter 2: Guy and Jesse and Averman, Oh my!  
  
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Connie and Charlie made their way up to Guy Germaine's door. They knocked and waited for an answer. A blond girl, probably about eight or nine, answered the door.  
  
"Hey Sammie. Is Guy home?" Connie asked.  
  
"Hey Connie! And Charlie. He's in the living room, watching TV." The little girl told them.  
  
"Thanks kiddo," Charlie said, ruffling her hair. Connie just smiled at her and walked into her ex-boyfriend's house.  
  
Connie and Guy had been going out and breaking up and going back out for as long as anyone could remember. At one point, she would have told everyone that they would date forever and eventually get married, without a second thought. But things change. Last summer they had broken up, and to everyone's dismay, they still hadn't gotten back together. Connie wasn't sure how she felt about this. Sure, she dated other people, but she never really felt the spark that she felt when she and Guy were together. And the whole him dating other people thing? She totally hated it. But she was happy that they had stayed friends. She couldn't imagine her life without him.  
  
"Guy, man, what's up?" Charlie said, plopping down on the couch beside him. "You will never, ever guess what Bombay's doing."  
  
"Nope, I probably won't. Oh, hey Cons," he said, nodding at the brunette.  
  
"God, it would be SO MUCH more fun if one of you losers would guess," Charlie declared. Connie and Guy just shook their heads at him.  
  
"Well, are you going to tell me? Or do I need to beat it out of you," Guy said impatiently.  
  
Charlie repeated what he had told Connie. Guy, like Connie, could hardly believe it.  
  
"You mean we get away from here for a whole month? YESS!!!"  
  
"Do you think your mom will let you go?" Connie asked anxiously. She really, really wanted Guy to be able to go. She had just realized that if there was ever a time to win Guy back, this would be the perfect opportunity. She mentally kicked herself. She was NOT supposed to be thinking about getting Guy back. She was supposed to be moving on.  
  
"She better! Nah, she will. She loves the Ducks," Guy told her.  
  
"And let me tell you, we love her," Charlie said, winking suggestively at Guy. Guy's mom had been voted Hottest Mom Of All Time by all the male Ducks on the looonnnggg bus ride home from one of their away games last year. And they never let poor Guy forget it.  
  
"Charlie, dude, that is it!" Guy said. He grabbed a pillow and hit Charlie over the head with it. Connie giggled. It was nice to see Charlie get pummeled every once in a while.  
  
Charlie stood up and gave Guy the peace sign. Normally, he probably would have tackled Guy to the ground by now, but it was getting late and he wanted to tell all the Ducks about their plans. "Hey, hey, chill out, I was just kidding around," he told Guy. "We still gotta tell the rest of the Ducks. You wanna come?"  
  
Guy nodded, "But there's no way in hell that we're blading all the way to Edina again to tell Banksie. We're gonna have to call him."  
  
"Okay," Charlie agreed. "We'll tell Cake eater over the phone."  
  
The three friends left the Germaine's house. "On to Jesse's," Charlie told them as he walked a little faster.  
  
Connie and Guy, however, kept walking at a normal pace. Guy fought the urge to take her hand. "You are not her boyfriend anymore," he reminded himself. God, he hated that. Last summer, breaking up had seemed like an okay idea. They were too young to be dating the same person they dated their entire lives. But now, now they had each dated other people . . . now it just sucked. He knew Connie had moved on, and it ripped him apart. But still. Moonlight strolls on the beach, ice cream on the boardwalk . . . was there honestly any place better to re-ignite an old flame?  
  
Guy's thoughts were rudely interrupted, however, by a basketball hitting him in the side of the head.  
  
"Sorry about that, Germaine." Guy looked up to see a red-haired boy with glasses grinning apologetically at him.  
  
"Jesus, Averman. Stick to hockey," Guy advised. Averman had missed the basket by at least three feet.  
  
"Um Averman?" Charlie ventured, "Why exactly are you at Jesse's house when he's not?"  
  
"That is a little bit shady," Connie agreed.  
  
"What, it's not normal to stalk your best friends? I guess it's a good thing you never caught me at your houses, then," Averman replied.  
  
The other three exchanged glances. They thought he was joking, but with Averman, well, it was pretty much impossible to be totally sure.  
  
"Nah, actually, some kid swiped one of his basketballs, and he's chasing after him, trying to get it back. He threatened to chop off the kid's balls, so my guess he'll be returning pretty quickly," Averman informed them, grimacing at the thought of losing such an essential body part.  
  
As if on cue, Jesse turned the corner, holding a basketball under his left arm. He was still swearing under his breath. Charlie, Connie, Guy, and Averman laughed. Typical Jesse.  
  
When he saw then, however, Jesse's face lit up. "Hey guys!" he said, "What's up?"  
  
Charlie suddenly remembered why they had come in the first place. In his sheer panic that Averman was stalking his house, and then his contemplation of how much it would hurt if your balls were cut off, he had completely forgotten about Bombay's offer.  
  
"Actually, a lot is up," he told Jesse. "Bombay has come through in the clutch, yet again."  
  
"Basically," Guy began, "Bombay is paying for us all to fly out to some little town in New Jersey for an entire month. All expenses paid."  
  
"And the house is only a block away from the ocean," Connie told them.  
  
"Sweet!" Jesse said, as he and Averman high-fived.  
  
"The beach! I love the beach!" Averman cried, "And you know what the best part of the beach is."  
  
"THE BABES!" Jesse, Charlie, and Guy all chorused.  
  
Averman looked at them like they had fifteen heads. He shook his head. "Speedos!" he informed them excitedly.  
  
The other four looked at each other. He was joking. They hoped. 


	4. Count Me In

A/N: First of all, thank you all SO MUCH for reviewing! I absolutely love you all! You are the best EVER! Okay but here's the deal . . . I have to go to Boston for a couple of days to look at colleges (UGH) - I leave tomorrow (Sunday) and I come home Tuesday. But don't fret, I should have a new chapter posted by Wednesday. I'm going to have a LOT of time to write in the car! I think that's about it . . . so on with the story! And again, you guys rock!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Steven Brill and Disney own the Ducks . . . but hey, I can dream, right?  
  
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Chapter 3: Count Me In  
  
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After the Ducks told Jesse and Averman about the trip, the next stop was Fulton's. Even without thinking, they all knew exactly where to find the first half of the Bash Brothers: the alley. That was the funny thing about Fulton; even though he was often irrational and spontaneous, he was strangely predictable in the best of ways. That was one of the reasons why everyone loved him so much. You never knew what he'd be doing in the alley, but at least you could be sure that he'd be there.  
  
On that particular afternoon, Fulton was sitting on a blue and green lawn chair, eating a sandwich and reading a Steven King book called "It". When he saw the Ducks, his face broke into a huge smile and he walked over to greet them. "Hey hey hey!" he said. "What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing really," Jesse began, "except for the best news of the whole summer!"  
  
"Pack your bags Fult!" Charlie told him. "We're headed for New Jersey!"  
  
Fulton just grinned. He didn't need to know the specifics. Anything that would get him away from his shitty house, his abusive father, and his alcoholic mother was perfectly fine with him. "Count me in!" he exclaimed.  
  
Now that Fulton was in the know, the Ducks proceeded on to their final destination: the Goldberg's deli.  
  
When they got there, they were just in time to witness Goldberg accidentally spill a milkshake all over a totally gorgeous girl. Even though he'd slimmed down a bit during the high school years, he was still somewhat heavy and extremely clumsy.  
  
"Poor Goldberg." Connie said to the group.  
  
"You do have to feel bad for the kid," Guy agreed, even though he was desperately fighting the urge to laugh out loud. He was hoping that Connie would be impressed by his sympathy. He was rewarded with one of her million dollar smiles. God, he missed those smiles.  
  
"Yea, dude, his women skills are absolutely zero." Fulton assessed.  
  
"This from the guy whose most-often used pick-up line is 'Hey ladies, nice night for a stroll, wouldn't you say'? Puh-leeze," Jesse retorted. He wasn't sure why, but for some reason he felt the need to stand up for his awkward friend. Maybe it was because he had a history of being not-so- suave around the women himself.  
  
Goldberg finished apologizing to the girl and frantically trying to help her wipe off her shirt with napkins (to which she replied by calling him a man-whore and shoving him away) and walked over to where his fellow Ducks were standing. "Hey guys . . . I guess you saw that, huh?"  
  
"Yea we saw it. Very slick, Goldie, very slick," Charlie said. He was trying not to laugh at his friend's misfortune. He really was. Just not all that hard.  
  
"Shut up Spaz. So did you guys come just to make fun of me, or did you actually have a purpose?" Goldberg asked indignantly. Getting picked on all the time was actually starting to get really, really old.  
  
"Nah, as much as we love making fun of you, my friend, we DO have something to tell you. And it just might help you get over your latest humiliation in the girl category," Averman told him.  
  
"Bombay got a house in New Jersey, a block from the water, he's bringing us all down for a month, and best of all, there will be plenty of chicks, so forget about Ms. Milkshake over there," Charlie said.  
  
Goldberg just stood there. He wasn't sure whether or not to believe them. He would not put it past any of them to get him all excited about it, maybe even have him go all the way to the airport with all of his bags, and then inform him that there was no trip.  
  
Guy saw his friend's apprehension. "This is the real deal, Goldie," he assured his friend.  
  
That was enough for Goldberg. It was a well-known fact that Guy Germaine couldn't lie if his life depended on it. Whenever he tried to, he always came down with the giggles right in the middle of whatever he was saying. So if he said the trip was not a joke, then Goldberg was fully willing to accept it as the truth.  
  
"Well, in that case, just let me ask my parents. Oh, and do you guys want anything to eat or drink or anything?"  
  
"YEA! I'm starving," Connie told him.  
  
"God Connie, how do you stay skinny? All you ever do is eat. OUCH!" Charlie winced as Connie kicked him under the table. "Fine. Goldberg, can you bring a plate of mozzarella sticks and Pepsis for all of us? Do we get a discount or something?"  
  
"Yea, right," Goldberg scoffed. Two minutes ago Charlie was making fun of him, and now he wanted a discount? He was desperately in need of a reality check.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Goldberg returned with mozzarella sticks, Pepsi, and his parent's permission to go to New Jersey with the rest of the Ducks. He sat down to join their conversation.  
  
"Okay, so we still have to tell Banksie, Julie, Dwayne, Kenny, Portman, Russ, and Mendoza." Charlie, as usual, was taking charge. "Here's what we're going to do. Cons, you call Julie. Guy, you call Cowboy."  
  
Guy groaned. He liked Dwayne, it was just that sometimes he could be a little, well, slow. "Aw, come on Charlie."  
  
"Guy, please, just call him. You are the only one of us who's patient enough to explain to him where New Jersey is fifteen times," Charlie pleaded.  
  
Guy nodded. He WAS the most patient out of all of them. Anyway, there was really no point in arguing with Charlie. He was as stubborn as a mule.  
  
"Thanks Guy. Okay, so Averman, you call Ken. Fulton, obviously, you call Portman. Goldie, you call Russ, and Jess, you call Luis. I'll call Banksie." Charlie continued. Everyone else nodded. Leave it to Captain Ducky to have everything organized and systematic.  
  
They all got up to leave. Except for Goldberg, that is, who just glared at all of them. "Ahem, I REALLY hope that you guys realize that you have a bill to pay."  
  
There was a group groan as everyone fumbled in their pockets for a couple of dollars.  
  
"And don't forget the tip! Twenty percent!" Goldberg told them. Somehow he wasn't surprised in the least when only fifty cents were left on the table.  
  
By eight o'clock that night, Charlie had heard from all of his friends. It had taken some time for Guy to explain to Dwayne that they would be taking a PLANE, not a car, not a bus, not a train, and DEFINATELY NOT a horse to New Jersey, but finally he got through to him, and Dwayne was in. Julie had no problem convincing her parents to let her go, as soon as she promised that she would read a book a week. The Gaffneys were way too into school. Ken's mom finally agreed to let him go, and the Tylers were more than happy to get Russ out of the "hood" for a month. Luis was getting sick of Florida girls, so he was extremely excited about checking out the girls on the beaches of New Jersey. Portman, for once, agreed to go without putting up any kind-of resistance.  
  
In fact, the only person who was having trouble convincing his parents to let him go was Adam Banks. Mr. Banks had a history of pushing Adam wayyy too hard, and this had only intensified over the summer. He was completely freaking out because it was Adam's senior year, and he knew that scouts would be swarming his son's games. He was convinced that Adam was just not good enough, so he was determined to make his son practice hockey for at least four hours a day. The thought of Adam going away and actually, gasp, having fun for a month was more that he could handle.  
  
Charlie frowned. It wasn't fair. Adam practiced harder than anyone he knew. Why did Mr. Banks have to be such an asshole? Not only did Adam desperately need a break from hockey and his father, Charlie wanted his best friend to be able to go to New Jersey with him. Plus, Charlie was worried about Adam. The kid was majorly stressed out. Charlie was scared he would have a nervous breakdown if he didn't get away from the wear and tear of his everyday life.  
  
Around 8:15, Charlie's phone rang. "Hello?" he answered it.  
  
"Charlie, hi, it's Adam," the voice on the other line said.  
  
"Hey, what's up? Why are you whispering?" Charlie asked.  
  
Adam started talking really fast. "Because I'm sitting in the hall closet, I don't want my dad to hear me, listen I need you to do me a favor."  
  
Charlie would do just about anything for Adam. "Yea, sure. What do you need?"  
  
"Okay, the only way my dad is gonna let me go is if he thinks I'll be practicing hockey. So I need you to call Bombay and tell him to call my house and say that he's rented rink time and that we're going to play like two or three hours a day. Please Charlie?"  
  
Adam didn't need to ask his best friend twice. "Don't worry about it. Expect a call from Bombay." He hung up, and dialed Bombay's cell phone.  
  
When his old coach picked up, Charlie told him about Adam's dilemma. He knew that Bombay would help them out. Bombay couldn't stand Mr. Banks. He had seen first-hand how much pressure Adam's dad put on him during the Goodwill Games.  
  
Within an hour, Adam called Charlie back. "Hey, Charlie. Bombay came through! My dad said I can go! See you on Saturday!"  
  
Charlie couldn't have been happier. The Ducks were ready for takeoff!  
  
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A/N: Since it'll be a few days before I get a chance to update, I'm going to give you a little preview of things to come. Let's see. . . next chapter the Ducks will be on the plane, after that, it'll be all sun and fun for them! Sorry that this chapter was a little bit slow, I had to set some things up that will happen later. There will be love interests for some of the Ducks, not to mention some Connie and Guy drama. Please tell me what you think (I'm a dork, reviews make me so happy haha). Love you guys! 3 Tino 


	5. Deep Talks And Big Suprises

Hey guys! I'm back from my little college tour, thank God!!! I'm happy to be home, that's all I have to say. thank you all soooooo much for reviewing, you guys really are amazing and I love you all!  
  
kellyerielf: Thanks for the review, it was soo nice and it means a lot to me! Honestly, your review was so sweet, it got me so excited! You're right, no fic is complete without a tad bit of bankst, so this fic will have some. I love Guy and Jesse, too, I think they're both great, and both will be playing major parts in this. Thanks again for the nice review, and thanks so much for reading this!  
  
xomegsxo: Thanks so much!!! You're review was so nice! I'm glad you like my story, it means a lot to me! I'm in love with Jesse too - he's just sooo cute. I was so upset that he wasn't in the third movie. What was Disney thinking? I love Connie/Guy also, I think that they're the best couple of all time. Anywho, thanks again!  
  
Dolphin-girl: Thank you very much for the nice review!!! I'm glad you like Connie/Guy drama storylines, because there will be a strong one in this story! As for a Portman/Julie storyline, I'll try not to disappoint you!!! I like Julie and Portman, too.I think that they'd be good together.  
  
Valerina1: Thanks for the review!!! I read over my story, and you're so very right, it does get very choppy at points. So thank you for pointing that out to me, I took your advice and read the chapter out loud to myself before I made the final changes to it (my sister thought I was hallucinating and talking to myself, haha). So thanks very much for the advice, I hope this chapter is better!  
  
percussion: I'm glad I made you laugh! That's very exciting for me!!! Thank you for the reviews, you rock!!! It seems like Guy is the perfect candidate for not being able to lie (although it will cause him some problems later in the story!) As for speedos, haha, we haven't seen the last of them!!! Seriously, how did they skate to Banksie's? I always wondered about that. But, hey, it's Disney, and I guess they can do whatever they want! Thanks for the reviews!!!  
  
OreoLine00: Thanks for being my first reviewer!!! I got sooo excited when I saw your review, cuz it was my very first one!!! So thank you very much for that and for encouraging me to write, I was a little bit unsure if anyone would like this. As for being mean to Dwayne, you're right, I was a little harsh on the poor kid. But don't fret!!! He's going to have a big part in helping one of his teammates later on in this fic, so things should be going uphill for him, I promise! I'm sorry if I'm mean to him again though!  
  
Flat*Out*Crazy: All I have to say is that you are sooo right about so many things in the review haha! First of all, Jesse is DEFINATLY hot!!! Why couldn't he be in the third movie, so we could all see the progression of his hotness. Second of all, you're right, poor Adam and Goldberg. I always felt really bad for them, and I'm trying to show how rough they have it. But don't worry, I think things will get better for them. I love them both, so I won't do anything too mean to them. And thirdly, you were right, there is gonna be some major trouble in New Jersey! Are you sure you're not a fortune teller? Thanks so much for the review, you're awesome!!!  
  
iluvguygermaine00 aka Samantha: I'm glad that you also get really excited about reviews, just like me. And we both named Guy's little sister the same thing.maybe we're twins haha! The truth is, YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for your sweet reviews, they completely made my day. And I have to tell you, your story "Caring" is awesome. And don't worry about the Guy obsession, he is VERY cute, I must say. Although Banks is my personal favorite, I love Guy, too!!! Thank you so much for reviewing and for reading my story in the first place. You're great!!!  
  
Meme-Ann: Thanks for your unbelievably nice review!!! I got soo excited when I saw it because I love your stories, I think that they're really great. So hearing something so nice from such a great author got me really pumped!!! I'm glad you also love Jesse, I was so upset he wasn't in the third movie. It was a complete injustice, if you ask me. Damn Phil Banks, why can't he just be happy with Adam. Personally, I would be VERY happy with him! And as for Goldie spilling a milkshake on the girl, that's SO something I would do also!!! Actually, I did once drop a thing of barbecue sauce on a really hot guy, it got all over his pants. It was sooo emabarassing! And I promise I will never copy you (or anyone else for that matter!) Anyway, you're too good of a writer, even if I tried to copy you it wouldn't come any where near how good your writing is. Thanks again!!!  
  
Cimmy: Ahh I got really excited when I saw your review also, because I really like your stories. "It's Summer In My Heart" is a really great story, I always get so excited when you girls update it. I'm glad that you're also a Jesse fan!!! And don't worry, I'm completely one of those people who need to know what's happening between Connie and Guy, too. They'll be stuff about them in almost every chapter, and I have a pretty good idea about what I'm going to make happen. I think I'm rambling a little bit, I have a history of doing that, but what I'm trying to get at here is thanks so much for the nice review, and keep up the good work with your own stories cuz I love them!  
  
Minet DelValle: Thanks for saying nice things about this story!!! Truthfully, I was really scared noone was going to like this, so hearing you tell me to keep writing was really great. Thank you!!! Truth be told, I'm kind-of wondering what's going to happen in NJ myself, haha, which is a little bit scary cuz I AM the one writing this! Actually, I have what's going to happen to all of the characters roughly outlined, and I hope you like it!!! Thanks for reading and reviewing, I really appreciate it!  
  
Nellie2: Thanks so much for all of the compliments in your review! That's really nice to hear, especially since I was (and still am) a little nervous about what people are going to think about my stories. Thank you for the advice about more descriptiveness and making the chapters a little bit longer. As for Connie and Guy's relationship, there will probably be little tidbits about it in every chapter. I tried to do what you told me to, I hope these chapters are better!!! Thanks for you're second review, you have no idea how excited I was that you liked it! Anyway, thanks very much for the advice, we all know I need the help! You rock!  
  
Emma Ratliff Henson: Thanks so much for your review. I'm glad you like Connie/Guy drama, I do too!!! And you're in luck, there's gonna be a lot of it. Thanks for the compliments in your review, it means a lot to me!!!  
  
turtlepower: First of all, I love the pen name turtlepower! Sorry, that's completely irrelevant, but anywho.thanks so much for the nice review. I got so excited when you said that I kept the Ducks close to their original movie characters, cuz I was scared that I wasn't doing a very good job of doing that. So I really appreciated that comment!!! In this chapter, they'll be arriving in New Jersey, so I hope you don't mind that the real action won't start until next chapter. Thanks again!  
  
*********IMPORTANT********: Ok here's the deal.Casey Conway got remarried, to a guy named John Favreau, so when you hear me refer to "Mrs. Favreau", it's her! And Gordon moved to California in the Ducks freshmen year to work on the Goodwill Games Committee. Just wanted to clarify that, so you guys didn't get incredibly confuddled!!!  
  
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Chapter 4: Deep Talks And Big Surprises  
  
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At 4:30 on Saturday morning, Charlie was rudely awakened from his dreams of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (whom he loved, although he would never admit it) by his mother shaking him.  
  
"Charlie, honey, come on, you have to get up."  
  
Charlie was not a morning person by any means. He swatted his mother's hand away viciously. "Mom, go away, stop shaking me. I'M TRYING TO SLEEP!" God, she was annoying in the morning.  
  
"Okay, Charlie, no problem. Have it your way. I'll just call Gordon and explain to him that you won't be coming to New Jersey because you can't get out of bed. I'm sure he'll understand."  
  
Charlie sat straight up in bed. The Ducks were leaving for New Jersey that morning; how could he have forgotten?  
  
Charlie's mom smiled and tossed a pair of clean jeans at him. "I thought that would get you. The bus is coming in twenty minutes, so hurry up and get dressed." Bombay had arranged for a bus to pick all of the Ducks up, so their parents wouldn't have to worry about dropping them off at the airport and being late for work. Typical Bombay; he thought of every little detail.  
  
Charlie got out of bed, and stumbled into the shower. Then, he threw on some clothes, brushed his teeth, and ran some gel through his hair. Recently, in the past few years, he had started to actually care how he looked. Probably because, starting with Linda in the ninth grade, girls had really started noticing him. In fact, last year the team had crowned him "Boy Who Spends Most Time In Front Of The Mirror". For some reason, the Ducks were obsessed with giving people embarrassing awards.  
  
At any rate, that morning Charlie actually managed to get ready somewhat quickly. He grabbed his bag, his roller blades, and his hockey stick (after all, what vacation would be complete without some Ducks street hockey) and carried them downstairs to the kitchen, where his mother was making coffee.  
  
"Can I have some of that?" he asked his mother as he gently put his luggage down.  
  
Casey Favreau, his mom, turned around and smiled at him. "No. It'll stunt your growth." Charlie groaned and she reconsidered. "On second thought, maybe that'll be a good thing. You're already 6'1." She handed him a cup of coffee, and then poured herself one.  
  
"Thanks mom," Charlie said as he sat down at their small wooden table. Casey sat across from him. They sat in silence for a few minutes.  
  
Suddenly Casey looked at her son. "Penny for your thoughts."  
  
Charlie answered slowly. "I guess, I don't know, I was just thinking about how things turned out."  
  
His mom looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"  
  
Charlie thought of his stepfather sleeping in the next room. "I don't know. If you had asked me the year the Ducks were formed what I thought would happen between you and Bombay, I would have said you guys would get married and we'd all live happily ever after. Like a fairy tale or something. I guess I was naïve and dumb . . . but I honestly believed it. But then Bombay went to the minors, then you married John, then Bombay moved to California to be the head of the Goodwill Games . . . it's just funny how things don't work out, you know?"  
  
Casey gazed at her son. "Sweetie, things don't always work out the way we want them to, but . . . in the end, everything falls into place. Always. When you were born, I was young and angry and scared, and I didn't think that having a baby could possibly be a good thing. But you," she smiled and shook her head, "you were the best thing that has ever happened to me. And I will never regret marrying John. I know that he's not Gordon, and that Gordon was like a father to you. And who knows, maybe he could have given me that fairy tale love. But honey, I couldn't wait forever to find out. What your stepdad and you and me have, it's real. It's not perfect, and we have our problems, but we love each other. And that's all that really matters."  
  
Charlie sat quietly. He was trying to process what his mom had just said. He knew that it was deep, and important, but it was 4:45 in the morning, and it was going right over his head. Was it possible that nothing would ever be perfect? Is that what his mom was saying?  
  
He didn't have very long to think about it, though, because a few minutes later there was a knock on the door. He opened it to find Connie standing there with all of her bags.  
  
"Hey C," she greeted him. "My parents didn't want me to wake them up, and I was bored. So can I wait for the bus over here?"  
  
"Sure Cons," Charlie told her as he grabbed her biggest bag and put it down in the hallway. She put the rest of her bags down and followed him into the kitchen.  
  
"Hey Mrs. Favreau," Connie said to Charlie's mom as she sat down at the table.  
  
"Hi, sweetie. Can I get you anything?" She wasn't surprised to see Connie. Connie wasn't exactly neglected, but her parents didn't pay an awful lot of attention to her. She had practically lived at Charlie's house ever since they were in diapers.  
  
"No thanks," Connie said. Charlie tossed her an apple and she began to eat it. She loved Charlie's house. She always felt at home there. And she knew she was lucky to have a friend like him. No one had ever looked out for her the way he always did. Except for maybe Guy, back when they had been dating. Even now, Connie knew that Guy would lay his life down for her. That was just the kind of person he was.  
  
After Connie had finished eating her apple, the three of them grabbed Connie and Charlie's bags and went to wait for the bus out on the porch. When it finally came, the bus driver got out and started loading their luggage on board.  
  
Charlie and his mother hugged. "Be good, okay, honey? And say hello to Gordon for me. And think about what I said."  
  
Charlie nodded. "I will. I love you, Mom." He turned and walked onto the bus.  
  
"I love you, too!" Casey called after him. Then she stepped back and gave Connie a hug. "And I love you. Make sure those boys don't get into any trouble!" she told Connie, smiling.  
  
Connie laughed. "I'll watch them like a hawk!" She climbed onto the bus and sat across from Charlie. As the bus started to move, she felt a rush of excitement. They were on their way!  
  
The next stop was Guy's. When they got there, Guy hugged his sister, kissed his mother, and dragged his bags onto the bus. He smiled at his friends, and sat down in front of Connie. "Can you believe we're on our way to New Jersey?" he asked, turning around to look at her.  
  
"No! I'm so excited!" Connie answered, grinning. He winked at her, and made a mental note to make sure they sat next to each other on the plane. He wanted to be there just in case she was scared of flying and needed someone to hold her hand, of course.  
  
Next up was Goldberg's house, where he and Averman were waiting patiently for their arrival.  
  
"What is Averman wearing?" Charlie asked suddenly. Connie and Guy looked. He appeared to be wearing a hat. A neon pink hat. With green polka-dots.  
  
"He can't be serious," Connie whispered.  
  
"Yea, anyone who wears a hat like that deserves to be shot," Guy declared. Connie and Charlie glared at him. Guy was famous, make that infamous, for his wretched taste in hats.  
  
"Man, you of all people should NOT be talking," Charlie told him.  
  
"Seriously," Connie giggled, as she tossed a Cheerio at him.  
  
"It wasn't that bad!" Guy tried to defend himself. "Okay, maybe it was, but you know you loved it."  
  
Charlie shook his head. "Believe me, NO ONE loved that hat."  
  
Just then, Averman and Goldberg got onto the bus. "Um, Averman?" Charlie ventured. "No offense, dude, but what the hell are you thinking with that hat?"  
  
"Ave, don't take this the wrong way, but please take that off before we get to the airport," Connie pleaded with him.  
  
Averman grinned. Sometimes it really bothered him that no one took him seriously. Times like this, though, he was happy to have his humor to hide behind. Truthfully, he had thought the hat was kinda cool, but now he could play it off like he was just kidding around in the first place. "You don't think it's sexy?" he asked, striking a pose in his seat.  
  
"Nope, not at all," Guy told him, laughing.  
  
"Ave, if Guy wouldn't be caught dead in the hat, you know it's pretty bad," Goldberg said.  
  
Averman smiled and pulled the hat off his head. The bus pulled up to Jesse's house. For the sake of saving time, Fulton and Adam had agreed to wait for the bus at the Hall's. Fulton and Jesse were talking excitedly to Jesse's brother, Terry, and Mr. Hall. Adam, though, was standing next to Mr. Banks, who was clearly lecturing him. He looked murderous.  
  
As Adam, Jesse, and Fulton got on the bus, Mr. Banks called after his son, "I mean it Adam! You better practice every day! If you suck again like you did last season, no scout will ever look at you." Adam turned bright red and sat down behind Charlie.  
  
The rest of the Ducks sat there stunned. Adam Banks sucking? Yea, right! Last season he led their team in goals scored AND assists. Not to mention the fact that he was a nasty defenseman and easily the best player on their team. It was really no wonder he never had any confidence in himself. His dad ripped him apart every chance he got.  
  
Guy vocalized what everyone was thinking, "Mr. Banks is such an asshole."  
  
The rest of the Ducks agreed. Charlie was so angry that he almost got off the bus and decked Mr. Banks right then and there. It took all the willpower he had not to give him the finger as the bus pulled away.  
  
Instead, he turned around and looked at his best friend. "You okay, Banksie?"  
  
Adam looked up at him "Yea, I'm fine. Just another fun day with my dad."  
  
"Don't let him get you down," Jesse piped up.  
  
"Yea, forget about him," Goldberg agreed.  
  
The Ducks rode in relative silence for the rest of the bus ride. When they got to the airport, they picked up their bags and hockey sticks, and scrambled to find their plane.  
  
This proved to be a bit of a challenge. Charlie didn't realize that he had a metal pin in his pocket, and managed to set off the metal detector six times before he figured out what was doing it. Connie and Fulton went off to find food without telling anyone, so the others went crazy looking for them until they showed up a half an hour later, without food for anyone else. Then Jesse read the tickets wrong (although he tried to blame it on Goldie) and they almost got on the wrong plane.  
  
When they finally got on the plane and found their seats, things weren't much better. Jesse and Goldie were still fighting over who read the tickets wrong. Connie tried to get them to stop fighting, which resulted in both of them yelling at HER. Guy tried to defend Connie, to which she replied by telling him to go to hell because she could defend herself.  
  
Fulton got airsick and spent the majority of the plane ride running back and forth between the little bathroom. Charlie got angry when the stewardess served them nothing but nuts, which he was allergic to. Banks kept laughing hysterically at all of the wrong parts of the move they were showing. On top of that, Averman was listening to his discman, and he had an extremely annoying habit of humming to the music, which wasn't making anyone happy.  
  
Nevertheless, when the plane touched down in New Jersey, the excitement took over, and all was forgiven. The Ducks ran off the plane, collected their luggage, and found the six continental Ducks already there, waiting for them.  
  
Connie squealed and ran over to give Julie a hug, and then Luis. Portman and Fulton hugged and chest-butted each other. The rest of the Ducks tried to catch each other up on what was happening in their lives. They were reunited!  
  
"It's gonna be just Bombay and the Ducks, just like the good old days!" Charlie declared, and everyone cheered.  
  
A few minutes later, Bombay walked into the airport. The Ducks all grinned at each other. With him was a pretty woman, slender and blonde, dressed in a yellow shirt and jean shorts.  
  
"Who's that?" Russ asked.  
  
"Probably the bus driver," Charlie assured him.  
  
When Bombay saw them, he ran over and greeted them all. He gave Charlie a big hug, and then stepped back and put his arm around the woman. "Everyone, this is Ellie. Ellie, meet the Ducks. I wanted to tell you guys this in person . . . we're engaged!"  
  
Ellie grinned and showed them all her ring. "It's so nice to meet all of you. Gordon here has told me so much about you."  
  
The Ducks just looked at one another. Some of them managed to utter a hello to her, but the rest of them were too shocked to talk.  
  
"So much for just Bombay and the Ducks," Jesse muttered under his breath.  
  
Charlie just stood there stunned. Bombay was getting married?  
  
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A/N: Sorry if that was a little long and boring. I apologize! But now they're in NJ, things will be heating up!!! 


	6. Here We Go

kellyerielf - Hey! Your review got me really pumped, because it was so long and so great, thanks! First off, you're right about the Olsen twin thing. I didn't think the age thing through before I wrote it. Sorry about that. I think I'm the only girl in America over the age of 5 who actually likes the Olsen twins. I'm weird like that. I'm glad you liked the embarrassing awards! I was planning on going with that, so there should be one in every chapter. Unless my brain short-circuits and then . . . maybe not. Connie and Guy ARE such a cute couple, I hope that I'm writing them okay. I love them! I also agree with you, Averman, Guy, Jesse, and ADAM are great. Sorry I have an overwhelming love for him, haha. And I also loved Guy's hat, how could you not? Where did it go in the third movie? I mean, honestly. Now, for the red-faced crazy girl in you, I totally agree. Mr. Banks = biggest jerk ever. *sigh* Poor, poor Adam. And by the way, I have a dentist appointment today, too. And a doctor's appointment, to get my physical done for field hockey. I'll probably finish this chapter after I come home, so who knows how it'll come out. I hate the dentist with a passion. But anywho, I'm glad you're reading this. This is gonna stay het, cuz although I love reading slash, I can't for the life of me write it. Oh, well. Thanks for the great review!!!  
  
percussion: I'm glad you like Bankst . . . who doesn't love a good Bankst every now and then! Haha there is a mighty ducks language . . . bankst . . . chadam . . .bash slash . . . you gotta love it! YAY Banksie is your favorite too? That's exciting. I love the kid. He's just so amazingly cute. Actually, last night my mom and I were watching the first mighty ducks (she's never seen it, can you believe that?) and she was like "Adam Banks has beautiful eyes". Finally, my mom is right about something! Thanks for reading this and reviewing it!!!  
  
Samantha (ilivguygermaine00): I'm glad you feel loved, because you ARE loved!!! I love your reviews and I love your stories! You're on my favorite authors list!!! And don't worry about not being able to put me on yours, it's the thought that counts, and I'm very excited that you even thought of me in the first place! Thanks! So you're an expert on Guy, and if you ever see something in my story that you don't like in his character or you think could be better, please tell me! I completely trust your judgment! Thanks for reviewing, you're awesome!  
  
Flat*Out*Crazy: I don't know if I ever told you this, but I love your pen name! Haha, that being said, thank you very much for the review! An encore? YAY! Thank you!!! Right back at you, your story "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" rocks. And you're right again, Bombay IS in big trouble . . . after all, Charlie has never been one to just let things slide! That boy really can hold a grudge sometimes. I hope I didn't take too long to update, if so you have my supreme apology!!! Thanks so much for the nice review!!!  
  
jess: I love Adam too!!! He's my all-time favorite. I'm glad you like him, too, because he will player a major part in this story. I just can't resist, he's too darn cute! As for him cracking . . . I guess we'll have to wait and see!!! Thanks for reviewing!!!  
  
plainjane: I love Boston!!! I think it's an awesome city, and I would love to go to college there. If I get in, that is. But don't be jealous, it was a horrible trip . . . spending that much time in a car with my family . . . UGH! Me and my little sister fought like cats and dogs, let me tell you. Bombay is getting married, and yes you're right, Charlie is going to be none too pleased. And don't worry, I sensed the sarcasm!!! Although it would be nice if FF.net would let us change fonts. But anyway, I digress. I'm excited about writing the Connie/Guy drama, too, I just hope I don't totally suck at writing it! "Most Likely To Marry Into The Mafia," haha that's hysterical!!! I love it!!! That made me laugh so hard. Would you mind if I used that in one of my later chapters? And I'm glad you liked Averman's hat, I thought everyone would hate it! Thanks for the great review! You're really terrific, thanks!  
  
**Disclaimer: Don't own the ducks, or Avon, New Jersey. I do own Ellie . . . and that's about all I can claim. Darn it.  
  
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Chapter 5: Here We Go  
  
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The Ducks followed Bombay out of the airport. He had his arms around his fiancée and was chatting excitedly about something or other. He was totally oblivious to the fact that no one was listening; instead, they were all shooting dirty looks at Ellie's back.  
  
As for Charlie, the Ducks had never seen him look quite this angry. Not even when Bombay tried to force him to cheat, back in Peewee's. Not even in the informal Varsity/JV game freshman year, when he had punched Banks. Right now, he was audibly growling and his left eye was twitching.  
  
"She's not that pretty," Guy said, obviously trying to make Charlie feel better.  
  
"Yea, with all that yellow on she kinda looks like a bus," Jesse told him.  
  
"I want to ride that bus!" Averman cracked. Ken shoved him. "I mean, yea, she's ugly," Averman decided.  
  
"I think Charlie's going to explode," Luis whispered to Connie. He was sincerely worried. If Charlie cracked up, all hell would break lose. He was the only one who could ever keep the team in check.  
  
Connie nodded at Luis. "I'll try to talk to him," she said. Connie was probably the only person Charlie would actually listen to. He had a history of clamming up when he was upset about something, which typically led him to lose his temper all at once. And him losing his temper was NOT a pretty sight. Connie was the only person he ever talked to when he was angry. He didn't even really speak to Banks when he was angry. When he was upset about something, yes, Banks was a perfect person to bitch to. Connie wasn't really sure why Charlie only talked to her when he was upset. Maybe because she was a girl, not to mention practically his sister, so he couldn't really blow up on her.  
  
When the Ducks got on the bus, Charlie went straight to the back seat. Connie followed him there and sat down next to him. "Hey, Conway, you okay?" she asked.  
  
Charlie shook his head. "Not so much. What the hell was Bombay thinking?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"This was supposed to be a vacation, just Bombay and the Ducks. Just like it used to be. But no, he had to go and screw it up. Why the hell is he getting married?" Charlie's temper was beginning to rear its ugly head.  
  
Connie knew better than to criticize Charlie when he got like this, but his thinking had some very clear flaws. "Did Bombay ever say it was going to be just him and the Ducks?" she asked him timidly.  
  
"NO! But that's what it should be! GO AWAY! I don't feel like talking to you." Now Charlie was practically shouting.  
  
"Okay, Charlie, I'm going to leave you alone now, because it's pretty clear that you can't have a rational conversation. But just for the record, he's probably marrying her because he loves her," Connie said. She didn't feel like dealing with Charlie and his attitude at all. He could be so thickheaded sometimes that it was unbelievable.  
  
Connie got out of Charlie's seat, and walked up to the front of the bus, where Guy was sitting. "Can I sit here?" she asked him.  
  
Guy flashed her his million-dollar smile. "But of course."  
  
"Thanks, Guy."  
  
Guy noticed that she looked a little distressed. He figured she had just had a not-too-successful chat with their captain. "You talk to Charlie?"  
  
"Yea, he's being an asshole as usual. Taking out his anger on everyone that tries to reason with him, so what else is new?"  
  
This was as good a time as any for Guy to comfort her. He put his arm around her shoulders and smiled at her. She hesitated for a second, then put her head down on his shoulder. To her surprise, it didn't feel awkward at all. She tried to think of the last time her and Guy had been so close. Even though they had stayed friends after their break-up, it had been a little bit strained, and physical contact was definitely out. It felt nice to be in his arms again, Connie decided.  
  
The two of them didn't have long to enjoy the moment though, because just then they pulled up to a huge Victorian house. It was brown, with deep green shutters, and a huge porch. Trees lined the pathway up to the house.  
  
"Wow," Julie breathed, "It's so beautiful."  
  
The rest of the Ducks couldn't help but agree. This was where they were staying the next couple of weeks? Could life get any better?  
  
"Everyone out!" Bombay called as they piled out of the van.  
  
It was quite a difficult task for them all to find their bags. In the struggle, Averman's bag somehow opened, and Portman ended up with a pair of his underwear on top of his head.  
  
Luis almost fell over laughing. "Hey Portman, you do realize that that's the same as having Ave's ass on your head, don't you?"  
  
"Holy shit!" Portman screamed, disgusted. "That's it Averman, you are dead meat."  
  
Averman started running away. "It's not mine! I didn't do it!"  
  
"GET OVER HERE, YOU LITTLE CREEP!"  
  
The rest of the Ducks couldn't help but laugh. They had never seen Averman look quite so scared. Portman was twice his size and would have no trouble demolishing him.  
  
Finally Bombay stepped in, much to the dismay of all of the Ducks, who were thoroughly enjoying the show. "Okay, Dean, chill. Umm Averman, maybe you should get you underwear back in the bag."  
  
"Thank you!" Averman cried as he dropped to his knees. Portman just gave him a dirty look and picked up all of his bags.  
  
When the Ducks finally got all of their bags up to the porch, Bombay stopped. "Okay, there are a lot of us, and I don't have enough beds for everyone. So you guys may have to share beds or sleep on floor. Okay?"  
  
The Ducks all nodded. As long as Portman and Averman didn't have to share a bed, it wasn't much of a problem.  
  
"Okay then, Julie and Connie, you can have the first bedroom to the left upstairs. It has a king sized bed you two can share. Jesse, Guy, and Averman. You three can have the room next to theirs. There's two twin beds, rotate who sleeps on the floor, okay? Let's see . . . Portman and Fulton, first room on the right. There's a couch, one of you will have to sleep on the floor. Goldberg, Russ, Ken, you guys can have the basement. There's a pullout couch and a loveseat. Dwayne and Luis, take the second room on the right. It's the entertainment room, so there's only one couch, but you get a T.V. And that leaves Charlie and Adam. You guys get the room next to Jesse, Guy, and Averman's, okay? Does anyone have any major problems?" Gordon asked.  
  
For a second Adam looked like he was about to raise his hand, but he thought better of it and decided not to. Even though no one in their right mind would want to share a room with Charlie right now, what with his extreme anger towards Bombay, Adam figured that if he asked for a room change it would only cause more problems. That was Adam for you, willing to sacrifice his own happiness for the good of everyone else.  
  
Bombay smiled at all the Ducks. "Why don't you guys unpack, get situated, then go to the boardwalk. The lifeguards leave at five, so you won't be able to swim, but you could see the ocean. We'll eat dinner at seven. Ellie's cooking us a special meal."  
  
"Yay," Charlie said sarcastically, then turned and walked up the steps.  
  
Bombay watched him leave, then faced the rest of the Ducks. "Is he mad about Ellie?" he asked.  
  
"Kinda, but he'll get over it," Goldberg said.  
  
"He'll be okay," Adam told Bombay. "I'll talk to him, try to smooth things over."  
  
"Thanks Adam," Bombay said gratefully.  
  
"Yep, it's no problem." With that, Adam walked up the steps also. When he got to the room, Charlie was just sitting on the bed staring into space.  
  
"Hey Charlie."  
  
"Hey Banksie."  
  
"You wanna tell me what's wrong?" Adam asked.  
  
"Nothing, just forget it," Charlie told him.  
  
"Okay, if that's what you want. But I'm here if you need to talk," Adam assured him.  
  
"Thanks, I appreciate it. And I'll take you up on that, I promise. But right now, we need to unpack," Charlie told him with a smile.  
  
"I call the closet!" Adam exclaimed.  
  
"Fine Cake eater!" Charlie said as he tackled him onto the bed. They both started laughing, and for that moment at least, Ellie was forgotten.  
  
Meanwhile, in the girls' room, Julie was desperately trying to find out what was going on between Connie and Guy.  
  
"Don't try to tell me you don't like him. I saw the lovey dovey looks you keep giving each other! And you guys on the bus all snuggly. . . you want him. Just admit it!" Julie pressed.  
  
Connie giggled. "No way, we're friends!"  
  
"Uh-huh, yea, tell me another one."  
  
"Okay, maybe I like him a little again," Connie admitted.  
  
"A little?" Julie asked incredulously.  
  
"Okay, a lot! But I swear to God, you say ANYTHING, and I'll tell everyone about your crush on Adam during the Goodwill Games," Connie threatened.  
  
"Oh God, I'll take it to the grave, I swear!" Julie told her, laughing. "Hey, you wanna go to the boardwalk now?"  
  
"Yea," Connie said, "let's go round everyone up."  
  
"You get Guy!" Julie laughed as she left the room.  
  
Julie walked into the Bashes' room. "Hey guys, a few of us are going for a walk on the boardwalk. You wanna come?" she asked them.  
  
"Yea, sure," Fulton told her.  
  
"Hey Jules, babe, maybe they can all go to the Boardwalk, and you and me can stay home. . . it's nice and cozy in this room . . . you know you want to," Portman said.  
  
"Hey Dean, babe, how about you take a nice long walk off a really short dock," Julie retorted, shaking her head. She walked out of the room in a huff.  
  
Fulton snorted back a laugh. Portman had wanted Julie for as long as anyone could remember, and although usually he had no trouble getting any girl he wanted, she never seemed interested. It was very entertaining watching him try, though. He always managed to bring out the worst in Julie. Or maybe it was the best. Fulton couldn't decide.  
  
"She wants me," Portman told Fulton. Fulton just laughed.  
  
"Whatever you say, dude, you keep dreaming," he said as he followed Julie out of their room. Portman decided that he might as well go with them. No sense in sitting around alone while everyone else was off having fun. Especially since Julie secretly wanted him. He was sure of it.  
  
Within ten minutes, the rest of the gang was ready to go. Everyone was in high spirits, even Charlie. As the Ducks strolled down the boardwalk, they were all having trouble controlling their excitement. Goldberg was so excited that he started skipping down the boardwalk. Unfortunately, he wasn't really watching where he was going, and he pummeled right into a grandmother, who started hitting him with her purse.  
  
"Well," Jesse told him, "at least she wasn't a hot girl."  
  
The Ducks all died laughing. As far as they could see, Goldberg getting beat up by an old lady made the month worth it already.  
  
That night at dinner, the Ducks tried to fill Bombay in on everything that had happened to them in the last year. They told him about all of them making varsity. They told him about how they had lost the state finals in the last five seconds of the game. They told him about boyfriends, and girlfriends, and teachers. By the time dinner was over, it was like no time had passed. Once a Duck, always a Duck, after all.  
  
Only Charlie seemed sullen. He was having a hard time adjusting to the idea of Bombay getting married. He knew that he didn't adapt well to things. He had hated his mom getting remarried, because it meant that his home life was going to change drastically. His freshman year at Eden Hall had been tough, because he had to get used to so many new things. Even breaking up with Linda had been tough, because although he despised her by the end of their tumultuous seven-month relationship, he was used to having her in his life.  
  
And now, he had to get used to the idea that Bombay was going to have someone in his life that he would love more than Charlie. Even since Charlie was ten, he knew that Bombay didn't have too many people in his life that he really cared about. He had Yan, and Hans, and the Ducks. But mostly he had Charlie. They needed each other. Bombay needed someone to keep him grounded, and Charlie needed a father. Each of them provided for each other what no one else could. And now . . . now Bombay didn't need him anymore. He had Ellie to love. Charlie knew he was getting replaced. And he didn't like that, not one bit.  
  
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A/N: Sorry if this chapter sucked! I really do apologize. Okay I have A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION for all of you. If I put an original character in, will you hate me forever? I really want to do it, but your opinions mean a lot to me. She's going to be Ellie's daughter, and she'll be going to Eden Hall with the Ducks (Bombay and Ellie are moving back to Minnesota). She's not going to be beautiful, or a hockey player, or a love interest for any of the Ducks, I promise! So what do you guys think? Tell me the truth, if you don't want her, I won't put her in. But I want to make this the first story in a series, all about the Ducks' senior year, and I want an original character for the series. So . . . tell me what you think! Thanks, you guys are the best of the best! 


	7. Sun, Fun and a Large Serving of Drama

A/N: From now on, the story is going to be told in the Ducks' individual point of views. It's just going to be too hard to tell their stories in detail if I don't do it like this. Also, my big original character is making her debut in this chapter. I hope you like her!  
  
Iluvguygermaine00: Thanks for being the first reviewer for this chapter! And I insist that YOU are the one that rocks! You write such great reviews, they've made me so happy! I'm very hyper right now too, so I know how you feel haha. My OC is going in this chapter, and I hope you like her! I hope you like this chapter, and thanks again for reviewing.  
  
DuckHockey00214496: I'm glad you wanted me to put an OC in, as she's introduced in this chapter. I agree, there do need to be more girls. I hope she isn't a mary-sue, and if at any point she begins to have those qualities please tell me! You're review wasn't sucky, it was great in fact! And stay tuned for some connie/guy relationship stuff . . .  
  
Xomegsxo: I'm sorry chapter 5 wasn't really that interesting, hopefully this chapter picks up a little bit! I love Jesse, too, and I just had to put him in my fic! My original character is in this chapter, and I completely agree about the fact that she shouldn't play hockey, but that the Ducks should have other friends. Thanks for the advice and the revieiws!  
  
Banksiesbabe99: Haha, I always like suspense, too! Thanks for the review, I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Cimmy: Ah I got so excited when I saw your review, mostly because you are the author of my favorite fanfic story of all time, "It's Summer In My Heart." Honestly, I absolutely love that story. I love Charlie when he's grumpy too, haha, and I know that it's because I'm evil. I'm having fun writing him like that. And don't worry about forgetting to review, I always seem to do that. I appreciate the fact that you reviewed at all, it made me really happy! I love Connie/Guy, too, so they'll be playing a big part in this fic. You're right - OC's are cool (especially yours!), and I hope that you like Maddy. Again, thanks for reviewing, you completely rock!  
  
Beautyqueen321: Hey! Thank you so much for reviewing, it made me so happy that you said the story and the plot are great. That was so sweet of you. I am thinking that I may make my OC a love interest for one of the Ducks, although I'm not sure which one yet. Any suggestions? OC's do make a story more fun, I think. Thanks again for reviewing, I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Meme: Thanks again for letting me use Kate! She's been a doll so far, haha. This chapter is dedicated to you; I hope you like it! Haha, and in response to your review I completely would have slapped Charlie if I were Connie. That may be because I have the patience of about a five-year-old though, haha. But thanks for reviewing, I really hope you like this chapter!  
  
Moviechic189: Thanks for the review, I hope you like the OC! Thanks for the support! She's not going to be overly pretty or a hockey player - sorry to let you down! But she may be a love interest for one of the Ducks! I'm not sure which one yet, but I will most definitely keep Dwayne and Fulton in mind!  
  
WeBuiltThisCityOnRockAndRoll: I love your pen name, it's so great, and I love that song! Thanks for reading my story and for giving me feedback, I really appreciate it! Thanks for all your positive comments, they mean a lot to me! I'm glad you like the idea of an OC, tell me what you think of her! And thanks again!  
  
Denverhockeygirl: Thanks for the advice about the OC. You're so right about Title IV not existing in private schools, I know it all too well. So my OC is definitely not going to play, because I know that it's not too realistic and I would be very likely to accidentally make her a Mary sue. I will probably make her a love interest but I'm not sure for who yet. Do you have a preference? Thanks for the review!  
  
Disclaimer: Disney's got the Ducks. Ellie and Madeline Burke are mine. Kate Simpson belongs to Meme-Ann.  
  
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Chapter 6: Fun, Sun, and a Large Serving of Drama  
  
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*Luis's POV*  
  
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I wake up on the morning after we got to New Jersey, and the sun's shining, making me all warm in my bed. Normally, I'm the type of person that stays in bed as long as I possibly can, but I hear loud voices from the kitchen (I guess Averman's down there, at least), and I don't want to miss out on anything.  
  
I go in to shower, and the bathroom is amazing. And the water doesn't run cold, which is a welcome change from my humble abode. With five brothers and sisters in the house, you're lucky if you get any water at all. This was heaven.  
  
As soon as I get out of the shower, brush my teeth, and throw on my bathing suit and a t-shirt, I walk downstairs to the kitchen. When I walk through the door, I see the Ducks (minus Charlie and Julie) already sitting at the table, eating away and talking really loudly. Actually, when I look closer, there's a girl sitting at the table, too. A new girl? Excellent. I like girls.  
  
When Connie sees me, she waves me over excitedly. "Hey, Luis, guess what?"  
  
She doesn't give me a chance to answer before she tells me. "This is Ellie's daughter, Madeline, and she's coming to Eden Hall next year, cuz Bombay is moving back!"  
  
"And he's going to be the assistant coach of the Ducks!" Guy adds.  
  
As I'm trying to process this information, the new girl smiles at me. "Hi," she says. She wasn't a supermodel, by any means, but she had nice brown hair and pretty eyes, and a big, friendly smile. Not quite my type, but it's always good to have girls who are just friends. And looks aren't always the most important thing anyway, as I discovered the hard way freshman year. I dated the hottest girl in the school, Jeannie Ross, and she ended up being the meanest person I'd ever met. Since then, I've concentrated a little bit more on girls personalities than on how they looked on the outside, and I think I'm better off.  
  
"Hey, Madeline, is it?" I ask as I sit down and grab a bowl from the middle of the table.  
  
"Yep. Well you guys can call me Maddy, though," she tells me as she slides a box of cereal toward me, which I take and pour into my bowl.  
  
"Cool. And I can't believe Bombay's moving back, that's awesome. And it'll be fun, you coming to school with us." I bet she'll be around us a lot, being that she's Bombay's daughter, or she be soon. Suddenly I start to wonder how Charlie's gonna react to this. I'm hoping he doesn't fly off the handle, but I have a bad feeling that he may. I don't think he's gonna be too welcoming towards Bombay's soon-to-be-daughter.  
  
"So, do you play any sports?" Dwayne asks. I'm suddenly curious about this, too. She doesn't look too athletic, but people surprise you. Who would've thought that a girl as small as Connie would be as good as she is at ice hockey?  
  
"I play basketball, mainly just because all my friends play. I'm not that great at it, and I probably won't play it at Eden Hall, 'cause I won't know anyone on the team which more or less kills the fun for me," she tells me, then adds, "Plus I know Gordon is a hockey nut and he'll be coaching you guys, so I'll need that free time to watch you guys play."  
  
We all smile at this. We'll take all the fans we can get. Not that we really need them, since hockey is easily the biggest sport at Eden Hall, but still. It'll be nice to have another person cheering us on.  
  
"That's what I like to hear," Averman tells her.  
  
Just then, Charlie and Julie walk into the room together. I'm hoping against hope that Charlie doesn't say something to Maddy that he'll regret later.  
  
"Morning guys," Charlie says to us as he shuffles over to the table. Julie gives us a big smile.  
  
Suddenly Charlie stops dead in his tracks. "Who's this?" he asks briskly, nodding at Maddy. Lovely. Nice way to greet someone, Captain Ducky.  
  
"Hi," she says, understandably a bit disconcerted by his rudeness, "I'm Maddy."  
  
"Don't tell me you're Ellie's daughter," Charlie commands, and when she nods he clenches his fists and mutters "Figures!" angrily under his breath. He glares at her for a minute then storms out. Ah, what would a day with the Ducks be without some drama?  
  
Adam stands up. "I'll go after him," he tells us, as he follows Charlie out. Honestly, I don't know how he manages to be such a good friend all the time. The fact that Charlie always seems to let all of his frustrations out on him doesn't even seem to bother him that much, and if it does, he hides it well. Maybe it's from all the years of his dad yelling at him, but at any rate, I'm glad he can handle Charlie. Don't get me wrong, Charlie's one of my best friends and I'd lay my life down for him in a second if I had to, but he can be a little bit hard to take.  
  
Julie smiles at Maddy. "Hi, I'm Julie, and it's nice to meet you. It'll be fun to have another girl around."  
  
Maddy's clearly shaken at Charlie's outburst, but she smiles back at Julie, "It's nice to meet you, too."  
  
"Don't worry about Charlie. He's a good guy, but he's a little emotional sometimes. And Bombay's like the dad he never had, so this whole situation is kinda upsetting for him," Jesse tells her. She nods at his words of reassurance.  
  
"So, anyway who's up for the beach?" Ken asks.  
  
We decide that we're all gonna go, and by the time we walk outside, I'm feeling better already. I'm sure Adam's calming Charlie down, and he'll apologize to Maddy. I hope.  
  
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*Adam's POV*  
  
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I swear, Charlie can be so ridiculous sometimes. He's my best friend in the world, and I love him, but really, sometimes I just want to smack him. Plus, when he's angry he walks extremely fast, which is why I'm out of breath when I finally catch up with him.  
  
"Hey," I greet him.  
  
He looks at me quickly, then averts his eyes straight ahead of him again. "Hey, Banksie."  
  
I decide to get right to the point. "Charlie, why don't you tell me what's going on. I know you're upset about Bombay, and I understand why, I really do . . . it's just that it's not really like you to go off on a total stranger."  
  
"Shut up, Banks, and stop acting like you know how I feel," he snaps. That stung a little. Getting yelled at by your best friend can get old, fast. But he's always told me what I needed to hear and now it's my turn.  
  
"Charlie, what is wrong with you? Remember when I first joined the Ducks? Back in Peewee's? You didn't like me, but you were friendly to me anyway. That's what you should have done with Maddy, and you know it. And maybe I don't know how you feel in this particular situation, but we all have pain and we all have burdens that we carry, and I understand that. So maybe you should get your head out of your ass and stop treating everyone like shit." I'm yelling now, and people on the boardwalk are watching. It's embarrassing, but I need to knock some sense into Charlie, or this vacation is gonna be miserable for all of us.  
  
Charlie's not gonna let me raise my voice to him without him sparring back. "Yea, Banks, I know you know all about pain and whatever. And you know all about crappy fathers, but you have no idea what it's like not to have a father at all. And then to find someone who's as good as a father, maybe even better, and then suddenly he really is a dad and you don't even matter anymore."  
  
"Charlie, you will never not matter to Bombay. And yea, he's gonna be a real father now, but it doesn't mean he has to stop being one to you. Things change, Charlie, and you have to take it as it comes. You can't stand still forever."  
  
Charlie's quiet for a minute. Maybe I got through to him? That wasn't too hard.  
  
"You don't get it," he spits out, and picks up his pace.  
  
That's it. He's not walking away from me, and I grab his shoulder and pull him back. "Listen to me, Conway. You're being selfish and you know it. So I guess that leaves you two choices: you act civilized again, and enjoy yourself on this freaking vacation, which you wanted to go on so badly, or you can sulk the entire time. But you're not ruining it for me. You're my best friend and I'm here if you want to talk, but I'm not gonna let you yell at me about this. So you decide," I tell him, and it's my turn to walk away.  
  
I almost feel bad. He's always been there for me and I hate fighting with him, but I just can't deal with him right now. And I know if he wants to talk, he'll find me. I walk back to the beach, to find the rest of the gang. .  
  
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*Goldberg's POV*  
  
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I love the beach. I really do. The sand, the waves, the sun . . .everything. There is one thing about the beach, though, that I'm not particularly fond of: the bathing suit. Even though I've lost a lot of weight since freshman year, I'm nowhere near what you would call thin. I know my friends don't care, but I hate other people seeing me without a shirt on. It's embarrassing.  
  
The worst thing about being chubby is that you don't get noticed, at least not in a good way. For example, when we lay our towels down next to a whole bunch of girls, they check-out Portman, and Guy, and Dwayne, and all the other guys, but their eyes just pass over me. Luis gives them a big smile, and you can practically see Cupid shooting arrows. Luis is a good guy, but honestly, other than looks, what does he have that I don't?  
  
Fulton's voice breaks me away from my thoughts. "Hey Goldie, you coming in?"  
  
"Yea," I say, as I take off my shirt, and wait for the inevitable looks of disgust. Surprisingly, no one looks at me funny at all. Averman's waving at me from the water, so I run in. Of course, it's freezing, and I have to fight the urge to run away from the foam. At least none of my friends will throw me in.  
  
Yea, right. Before I know it, Fulton and Russ drag me all the way out, and dunk me under a wave. I come up sputtering and cold, but I manage to splash them. Hey, they asked for it! This of course, leads to a full out splashing and dunking war. I'm embarrassed to say Connie was the undisputed winner, as she managed to get every single one of us without spending much time under-water herself. Oh well, it's not like it's the first time she's beat us at anything. Maddy seems to be fitting in pretty well, which is good, especially if we're going to be with her for the next month. For the next year, actually, now that I think about it. Julie seems to have taken her under her wing, which makes me happy, since Jules may be the friendliest person I've ever met and she'll make her feel right at home.  
  
When we finally get out of the water, about an hour-and-a-half later, Connie and Guy lay down on their towels to take a nap. Luis and Ken are talking to those girls who have the towels next to us, and my guess is they'll probably have their numbers by the time we leave. Fulton and Portman are tossing a football back and forth, and Adam, who arrived somewhere in the midst of our water fight, is building a sandcastle with Averman. It looks more like a mountain that a castle, but hey, who am I to criticize. Julie, Dwayne, and Maddy decide to take a walk on the boardwalk. I hope they don't run into Charlie, who ran out of breakfast like a bat out of hell this morning. Adam apparently didn't get through to him, which worries me a little. If Charlie won't talk to Banksie, he must be extremely upset.  
  
Jesse, Russ, and I throw around a Frisbee for a while. We talk about stupid stuff, which is okay, because when you're as close as the three of us are, it doesn't really matter what you discuss. After about an hour, we decide to go back into the water. The tide is calm now, and we just float on top of the waves. I'm enjoying the sun, and the sound of happy people all around me. This has to be one of the greatest places on earth, and I'm so grateful to be here.  
  
As I'm floating on the water, my thoughts drift to my best friend Kate, and I wonder what she's doing right now. I don't know how I'm going to spend an entire month without her! We've been best friends since freshman year, and she practically lives in my dorm room. We've gotten in trouble multiple times for being in there together late at night. The funny thing is that we've never even hooked up, even though people tell us all the time how cute we'd be together. In fact, she had a year-long relationship with Luis. I'm still not really sure why they broke up; they said they "drifted apart." They were both heartbroken, and I felt bad, but Kate and I got even closer than ever before after that. I don't know where I would be without her smile. She's the one person who can always cheer me up, and I'm going to miss here while I'm in New Jersey.  
  
Suddenly I have a brilliant idea. "Do you think Bombay would mind if I invited Kate up for a few days later on in the vacation?"  
  
Jesse pulls his body out of the floating position and stands up. "Nah, he'll be cool with it. Kate's cool, and he likes her. Plus she gets along with Jules and Connie, so she can stay with them."  
  
Russ nods, too. "Yea, man, she's cool. But do you think Luis will be okay with it?"  
  
Good point. Even though Luis and her don't hold any grudges against each other, there's still some of that natural awkwardness that comes when you break up with someone. "Hmm, good point. I'll ask him about it."  
  
And I will, over dinner. I hope he says yes, I won't be able to survive an entire month without my very best friend.  
  
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*Connie's POV*  
  
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I love Guy. In a friend sort-of way, I think. Or maybe not. I don't even know. Why am I so confused about this? Before I heard about this trip, I really thought I was moving on. I dated other guys, he dated other girls, and I thought I was okay without him. But now I have my doubts again.  
  
Take today, for example. After we got out of the water, the two of us went down and lay on our towels. We talked for a few minutes, then I guess I fell asleep.  
  
When I wake up, he's wearing a hat and sunglasses, and he's sleeping. He just looks so adorable. And then it hits me how much I really do miss him. It's a feeling that I get sometimes when I'm reminded of the way things used to be. Seeing him sleep next to me reminds me of all the times I would fall asleep at his house, when I was trying to get away from my own. I wish I could still go over there and feel safe.  
  
A little bit later, after he wakes up, we all go back to the house to get ready for dinner. Ellie and Bombay are cooking dinner when we get there, which is sorta cute. But when we ask them if Charlie has come back, they say that they haven't seen him all day. Even if he is being a total jerk, I'm sorta worried about him. I hope he's okay . . .  
  
A/N: I hope this is okay! I had to write it to get rid of this awful writer's block. Next chapter will be longer, I promise, and it'll be posted a lot faster! Now that field hockey is over for me, I have plenty of time to write. I hope you guys like Maddy. Please give me some input on her, and if there are any character traits you do or don't want her to have, I'd love to hear them. Also, bringing Kate in will undoubtedly cause some interesting situations, so I'm quite excited about that, and very grateful to Meme-Ann for letting me borrow her. Please review for me! Feedback makes me oh so happy, and you guys are the best! 


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